ALWAYS AN EXCUSE for spouse selection mistakes, divorce came to be seen as the final solution for marital problems, from losing the sparks of romance in courtship to the slow separation of ways resulting from the unyielding demands of career and professional pursuits. A pagan practice in ancient Athens long before Christianity came, divorce has since then threatened the unity of families even among Christians.
The forces that sought to break down families have finally defeated one of the last of two countries that stood its ground against legalizing divorce--Malta and the Philippines.
1971 to 1996
Four of the last six nations which steadfastly stood its ground against legalized divorce fell--SPAIN (1981), ITALY (1974), PORTUGAL (1995), and IRELAND (1996).
Since then divorce rates climb sharply each year. In Spain, a year after the enactment of its new express divorce law, divorces reach 126,952, 74.3% higher than the previous year's, as the rate of legal separation dropped by 70.7%. In 1975, 71% Spaniards expressed favor over divorce, which became legal in June 1981.
In Italy, people voted on 12 May 1974 to abrogate its anti-divorce law of 1970. Less than half, 40.74%, voted for the dissolution of marriage in the referendum (59.26% voted against divorce). It however remained the lowest in divorce rates worldwide.
Earlier divorce law got abrogated when Portugal signed the Concorday with the Vatican on 7 May 1940. But after the Revolution of 1974, the Portugeuse people criticized the insolubility of Catholic marriages, which resulted to allowing divorce filed at the civil registry through the Decree Law 131 of 6 June 1995.
Since the scrapping of divorce in Ireland through its 1937 Constitution, divorce came back through the euphemistically entitled divorce law, the Family Law Act of 1996. And its court received its first case in 1997.
Since then divorce rates climb sharply each year. In Spain, a year after the enactment of its new express divorce law, divorces reach 126,952, 74.3% higher than the previous year's, as the rate of legal separation dropped by 70.7%. In 1975, 71% Spaniards expressed favor over divorce, which became legal in June 1981.
In Italy, people voted on 12 May 1974 to abrogate its anti-divorce law of 1970. Less than half, 40.74%, voted for the dissolution of marriage in the referendum (59.26% voted against divorce). It however remained the lowest in divorce rates worldwide.
Earlier divorce law got abrogated when Portugal signed the Concorday with the Vatican on 7 May 1940. But after the Revolution of 1974, the Portugeuse people criticized the insolubility of Catholic marriages, which resulted to allowing divorce filed at the civil registry through the Decree Law 131 of 6 June 1995.
Since the scrapping of divorce in Ireland through its 1937 Constitution, divorce came back through the euphemistically entitled divorce law, the Family Law Act of 1996. And its court received its first case in 1997.
MALTA
On 28 May 2011, the last of the two Roman Catholic bastions of unbroken families fell. Maltans voted in favor of dissolving marriage after four years of separation, in a non-binding referendum that will direct the congress in introducing Divorce law in an overwhelmingly Catholic country.
PHILIPPINES
With Maltan Catholics succumbing to the pressure of marital problems, only the Catholic Philippines stands alone against legalizing divorce. However, partylist group Gabriela submitted to the House of Representatives House Bill 1799 in order to introduce divorce to the country. And the Committee on the Revision of Laws will tackle it on June 1 (Wednesday). Will the Catholic Philippines survive this onslaught?
The country however has Constitutional protection for the family. Section 12 of Article II (Declaration of Principles and State Policies) makes it clear that "The State recognizes the sanctity of family life..." If the framers of the 1987 Constitution are clear on their intention and interpretation of this provision, the Filipinos will be protected against the onslaught on the family from pro-divorce forces.
Every nation except the Philippines and the Vatican City now allows some form of divorce.
Never the Solution
Noting on how many of the same people took their marriages to the divorce courts show how the legal remedy had not provided the right solution for marital problems. Here are some of those who got divorced many times in their lifetime (is that how difficult to learn the reason for choosing a mate for life?):
Elizabeth Taylor married and divorced EIGHT times.
Larry King married eight times and divorced SEVEN times.
Zsa Zsa Gabor married nine times and divorced EIGHT times.
The country however has Constitutional protection for the family. Section 12 of Article II (Declaration of Principles and State Policies) makes it clear that "The State recognizes the sanctity of family life..." If the framers of the 1987 Constitution are clear on their intention and interpretation of this provision, the Filipinos will be protected against the onslaught on the family from pro-divorce forces.
Every nation except the Philippines and the Vatican City now allows some form of divorce.
Never the Solution
Noting on how many of the same people took their marriages to the divorce courts show how the legal remedy had not provided the right solution for marital problems. Here are some of those who got divorced many times in their lifetime (is that how difficult to learn the reason for choosing a mate for life?):
Elizabeth Taylor married and divorced EIGHT times.
Larry King married eight times and divorced SEVEN times.
Zsa Zsa Gabor married nine times and divorced EIGHT times.
